Quick Sandable Filler

One of the things I hate the most about building models is gap filling. There are a number of options for filling gaps and all the ones I’ve ever heard of are a pain in the neck. Two part fillers such as “Green Stuff” and Milliput need to be tediously mixed in a process that makes a mess of my hands. Considering that the chemicals in these products are not good for the skin I try to mix as much as possible with tools. They have long working times and long curing times and in the case of “Green Stuff” you better get it right the first time because the cured putty can’t be sanded or easily shaped.

Another option is polyester putty like Squadron Green or White. These don’t have to be mixed but are a pain to work with. With plastic miniatures and models you have to be careful as the Toulene in the putty will soften or distort your model. There’s no way to carefully apply the putty or shape it finely. Only after the putty has cured can it be sanded. This is the big advantage of polyester putty. Apply it on a big flat seam and you can sand it nice and smooth.

The gap in this model’s base was filled with superglue and baby powder

Back when I first started with Gunpla I found a technique to replicate a material that was only available in Japan. It is so simple that I can’t explain how I’ve never attempted it before. Very simply mix unscented baby or talcum power with superglue until you get a nice thick paste. Apply quickly to your gaps. You have maybe 60 seconds of working time so don’t mix up too much at once. Curing will depend on the thickness of application and so far I have always walked away from my workbench. I think at most a couple of hours and as little as 5 minutes. I usually poke at the left-over “putty” to test whether it has cured.

At this time I have used this “putty” three times. Twice on the base of a Deadzone miniature when I wasn’t too concerned with making it pretty or sanding it afterwards. I have primed and painted both miniatures with no issues. My third test is on a 90mm Knight Models Princess Leia miniature. Here I was filling a gap on a detailed area and smoothed my work back with a file. Once I prime the model I’ll be able to tell how clean the job is and am prepared to go back and refine my work. This is similar to how polyester putty or Milliput works. “Green Stuff,” on the other hand, can’t be sanded and if there’s a problem after priming would have to be sliced away and cleaned up as much as possible.

The mixture is very forgiving, I’ve experimented with different amounts of powder to superglue. There’s a difference with how they handle and how quickly they dry but other than that I haven’t had a problem with the putty crumbling once dried.

I have noticed an irritating odor while working with the substance so it may be a good idea to wear a respirator.

Other than that there should be no reason not to try it on your next project. Let me know how it goes on Twitter or Google+ and don’t forget to subscribe for more tips like this.